Canucks forward Dale Weise celebrates scoring what would be the only goal of the game against the Predators during third period NHL action in Nashville on Friday, Feb. 22, 2013. (Harrison McClary/Reuters)

Luongo stopped 23 shots for his second shutout of the season and 62nd of his career.

"When we play these guys those are the types of games you get into pretty much every time," Luongo said.

Dale Weise supplied the game's lone goal, the result of a carom in front of Rinne, at the 9:14 mark of the third period

Rinne finished with the same amount of saves as his Vancouver counterpart.

"I don't think they had a lot of chances. We didn't have many either. It was just one of those defensive battles," Rinne said.

The teams were locked in a stalemate deep into Friday's contest until Weise potted his first goal of the season.

Maxim Lapierre circled the Nashville net, shielding the puck with the backhand, before spinning to the forehand in the right circle and firing a shot that deflected off Predators defenceman Scott Hannan. The puck went right to Weise at the left side of the net and he fired it into the open cage.

Few penalties were called in the game, however, the Predators got a power play when Alexandre Burrows went off for slashing with 2:13 remaining. Nashville pulled Rinne for an extra skater, but Luongo and the Canucks' penalty-killing unit kept the Predators off the board.

Game Notes

The Predators finished 2-1-1 against Vancouver last season ... Both clubs were 0-for-2 on the power play ... Canucks defenceman Kevin Bieksa left the game with a lower-body injury and didn't return.